Hamilton storms to Spa-Francorchamps pole

Hamilton storms to Spa-Francorchamps pole

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton snatched back pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix from Ferrari’s Felipe Massa on their final runs of the third qualifying session. The Englishman had been fastest after the first runs, saw Massa beat his time, but then finished his own lap three tenths quicker to settle the issue.

Hamilton lapped his MP4-23 in 1m 47.338s, Massa his F2008 in 1m 47.678s. And behind them, their team mates fought it out, Heikki Kovalainen bettering Kimi Raikkonen’s best to take third, with 1m 47.815s versus 1m 47.992s.

Behind them, Nick Heidfeld continued his rehabilitation with fifth place for BMW Sauber in 1m 48.315s to lead Renault’s Fernando Alonso (1m 48.504s), Red Bull’s Mark Webber (1m 48.736s), BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica (1m 48.763s), and Toro Rosso team mates Sebastien Bourdais (1m 48.951s) and Sebastian Vettel (1m 50.319s).

Bourdais had earlier been the sensation of Q1 when he set the fastest time in the dying moments, with 1m 46.777s, ahead of Kovalainen, Massa and Hamilton. Vettel had some problems in Q3 and was not able to produce his best form.

Neither of the Toyotas made it through Q2, Jarno Trulli taking his round in 1m 46.949s for 11th place and Timo Glock’s 1m 46.995s leaving him 13th. Between them was Renault’s Nelson Piquet (1m 46.965s), and behind them Red Bull’s David Coulthard (1m 47.018s) and Nico Rosberg in the Williams (1m 47.429s).

Q1 weeded out the Hondas, with Rubens Barrichello heading Jenson Button (1m 48.153s to 1m 48.211s) in 16th and 17th places, then came Adrian Sutil for Force €ndia (1m 48.226s), Williams’ Kazuki Nakajima (1m 48.268s) and Force €ndia’s Giancarlo Fisichella (1m 48.447s).


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